


Stumblin' Inn

by lil_1337



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, M/M, Series Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 12:53:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1511267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the smallfandombigbang.  It should be a simple snag and bag, but this is Warehouse 13 and nothing is ever that easy.</p><p>A/N:  The event at the beginning of the fic is based loosely on a true story.  The article can be found here.  <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23987368">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23987368</a></p><p>Art work by the lovely xandromedovna can be found here: <a href="http://xandromedovna.livejournal.com/2365.html">http://xandromedovna.livejournal.com/2365.html</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Stumblin' Inn

C.E.R.N.

There was a sound, like far off thunder muffled by mounds of storm clouds so saturated with rain that the air was heavy and oppressive with it. Silence followed, only to be broken by a wail that was high pitched and screechy with a life affirming strength to it. The crowd that had gathered in the parking lot to watch the beginning of a new life let go of a collective breath. Smiles and high fives were exchanged between individuals who had passed each other in the laboratories and hallways for years and never so much as acknowledged each other.

Standing on the ragged edges of the group who had come out to see one of life's dramas unfolding Joshua Donovan peered over the heads of the people in front of him in eager anticipation. Despite the fact that the child was clearly a boy and that it was wrapped in a silver emergency blanket instead of something pink and fuzzy he was drawn back to the birth of each of his sisters. Claire had been quiet and thoughtful, so much held in reserve even as an infant. Claudia, on the other hand had come into the world screaming loud enough to bring the roof down, fortunately she had been easily comforted with food or a cuddle.

He hadn't been allowed, nor did he want to be, in the delivery room for the actual moment, but he had seen each of them soon after. The image of their tiny, red, squalling faces was etched forever on his mind. Even without an eidetic memory he would have never allowed the pictures in his head to fade. They helped him to remember how fragile his sisters could be when they were driving him crazy with questions or demands for his attention. Even the best big brother in the world occasionally needed a few moments to himself to think or do important science type things.

Things were different now, though. Claire was gone and Claudia had proven to be tougher and more tenacious than even he would have guessed. Her intelligence had shown itself to be spread across a variety of subjects while his had a laser point focus. Then again, that wasn't too surprising, considering the differences in their personalities. Claudia had always been the social one while Joshua had preferred to spend his time immersed in his work and, as a result, often lost in his head. It had worked for them and that was what had mattered.

Back inside the building Joshua settled himself in his chair then pulled up Skype on his computer. When it prompted him for his I.D. and password he entered them and logged into his account. Claudia's user name was at the top of his very short friends list. She was showing as offline which was not surprising given the time of day in South Dakota. He debated for a moment before pulling out his phone and texting the single word Skype to her. There was no response, but less than two minutes later she was online. Even though the quality of the video image was not the best her uncombed hair and the baggy t-shirt confirmed that she had indeed been sleeping.

“What's wrong?” Concern was clearly etched in the tone of her voice and the frown that replaced the smile she usually wore when they talked.

Joshua blushed, suddenly aware of how his impulsive desire to talk must have come across to Claudia. “Nothing. Can't I just call to say hi to my little sister?”

Claudia grimaced at the use of the word little, but she didn't comment on it. “You _could_ , but you usually don't. Ergo there must be something wrong.”

A flash of guilt, hot and powerful, burned through him even though the words were matter of fact and carried no hint of recrimination. “There was a baby born in the parking lot just a couple of minutes ago.”

Claudia straightened up, looking less agitated and more genuinely awake than she had. “Seriously? That's awesome. Did you help deliver it?”

“Him.” Joshua could feel a grin starting to spread across his face as the heavy feeling began to burn off. There was something about talking to Claudia that always made everything slot into place, even when he didn't realize that the pieces were out of alignment. “No, our fire and medical people did all the work. I was just an observer.” There was silence for a moment and Joshua shifted in his chair not sure what to say. “How is everyone?”

“Good. Sleeping.” He watched her glance at something out of camera view then rub her eyes. “Actually Steve is probably out running since he has this strange need to get up before the sun and exercise.” She shuddered in mock horror. “It's not normal I tell you.”

Joshua laughed, the sound as much a surprise to him as Claudia. “Like you know anything about being normal.”

“Back 'atcha, Bro.” Claudia's salute was sloppy with more than a hint of insolence built into it, but there was affection in her smirk.

“I was thinking,” Joshua took a deep breath, his mouth moving before his brain; an unusual occurrence in his life that was almost always triggered by being in close proximity to Claudia. “I have some vacation time built up and my current project is about to wrap up.”

Claudia nodded, the look on her face hopeful, but she remained quiet letting Joshua say what he needed to in his own time. If Joshua needed proof that Claudia had grown a lot in her time at the warehouse this was certainly a powerful example.

“If Artie is okay with it I'd like to come visit. I know I was planning to come at Christmas, but...”

The rest of his sentence was cut off by Claudia's gleeful squeal. “Yes, YES! It'll be fine. I'll talk to Artie. He'll make you work in the warehouse, but it'll be fine.” The sophisticated young woman fell away and Joshua could see the too old for her age ten year old that he he'd left behind when he was sucked into Ridicus' compass.

“I'll make the arrangements and get back to you in a couple of days, okay?”

She nodded, excitement wiping the last of the sleepiness from her features. “Email me as soon as you know. I have plans to make.” She made a heart with her fingers then blew him a kiss before breaking the connection.

Joshua leaned back in his chair and grinned for a moment before getting up and going in search of his supervisor. The ache that had led him to contact her had been replaced by a quickly growing sense of excitement and anticipation. In general he was the kind of person who acted on impulse. The last time he'd given into the desire to leap before looking had cost him twelve years of his life and he had no intention of repeating that mistake. On the other hand, this was just a simple trip to see his sister. The chance that it was going to cause any major changes in his life were pretty negligible even when you factored in the influence of Artie, Myka, Pete and the warehouse.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Warehouse 13

“Joshua's coming to viii~sit.” Claudia chanted, shimmying around the office at warehouse 13 with moves that looked like hula and belly dancing had merged before throwing up on burlesque and hip hop. She pivoted in the middle of the room, making a complete turn before coming face to face with Mrs. Frederic, who had clearly not been there a moment ago. Claudia squeaked, arms windmilling as she tried to regain her balance and deal with her surprise at the same time. Steve caught her around the waist, keeping her on her feet as gravity won the battle and tugged her down. Grinning, he let her momentum propel her into the chair she had vacated just a few minutes earlier. She sat wide eyed, breathing heavily and clutching the arms as she attempted to recapture her breath and equilibrium.

“We are all well aware of your brother's impending arrival, Miss Donovan. However, I have a job for you that should take care of filling the... ”Mrs. Frederic twisted her wrist and flicked the tailored cuff of her bubble gum pink wool suit jacket back to reveal what was no doubt a one of a kind watch. She spared it a glance before returning her gaze to Claudia. “...fifteen hours and ten minutes until he arrives at the Univille Airport.”

“I, uh, yeah, okay.” Claudia pulled the shreds of her tattered dignity around herself and twitched them into place with a shake of her head. “Okay, Claudia Donovan computer hacker and artifact snagger and bagger extraordinaire at your service.”

Mrs. Frederic blinked slowly, her lack of amusement a physical force in the room. “It has come to my attention that an artifact I've been keeping an eye on has come up for sale.”

“You want me to go and get it? What it is it? Something dangerous?” Claudia was practically bouncing in her chair as she attempted to keep her curiosity somewhat in check.

“Nothing quite so exciting I'm afraid.” A tiny bit of warmth crept into the older woman's voice before sneaking back out. “It is a simply a piece of brick that can be purchased from the website for a small curio shop in New York. You won't even be required to leave your seat.”

“Brick, really?” Steve chimed in, skepticism in his voice. “What is it from? How do we even know it's an artifact? The computer didn't ping.”

Without moving her body Mrs. Frederic turned her head to the side pinning Steve with a look that was as physical as a smack to the back of the head. “Yes, Mr. Jinks. A piece of brick and I know it is an artifact because I was there when it was created.”

“Okay.” Steve raised his hands in a gesture of placation and more than a little submission. “I was just surprised. It seems like such a strange thing to be an artifact. Not that we haven't seem some weird things before.”

“Indeed.” Mrs. Frederic blinked then smiled slightly. “To answer Miss Donovan's question it is from the Stonewall Inn and was created during the riot on June 28th 1969.”

Steve goggled, his mouth opening and closing several times before he blurted out. “ _The_ Stonewall Inn? The one in New York?”

She nodded, pleased that he not only recognized the name, but that he was also familiar with the importance of the site.

“Wait a minute.” Claudia jumped into the conversation feet first with all the enthusiasm of a drunken teenager cliff diving for the first time. “You were at the Stonewall riots?” At Mrs. Frederic's nod of confirmation Claudia fumbled on despite the warning look from Steve that morphed into him holding his head in his hands. “Does that mean that you're...? I mean you have a grandson so that can't be right. Not that you can't like both...”

“Claudia!” Steve's eyes pleaded with her to stop, but she was riding a thought and was not about to let it go until she had some sort of satisfaction to her curiosity.

“My love life, Miss Donovan, is my own business and I would thank you to remember that.” Behind her Steve whimpered no doubt trying not to visualize exactly what said love life would entail. “However, as the guardian of the Warehouse I make it my business to be in the places where history is being made and artifacts are likely be created as a result.”

“Oh.” Claudia's expression turned thoughtful as she spun in her chair to face her computer. “That makes sense, actually. What's the url for the website?”

“The shop is called Bits and Pieces and is in Greenwich Village. I'm sure with your knowledge of the inter...”

“Got it!” Claudia crowed cutting off Mrs. Frederic. When she turned back to gloat the woman was already gone. “Damn it! I have got to find out how she does that.”

Steve didn't reply, he was still whimpering softly as he rocked, eyes covered, in his chair. On the other side of the room Artie just shook his head before returning his attention to his computer.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well, this is a sticky wicket.” Claudia frowned at her monitor, tapping her nails on the bottom of her keyboard.

“What's the problem?” Steve looked away from the inventory program he was updating with the artifacts that had been retrieved in the last few missions.

“I sent an email to the guy at Bits and Pieces about buying that piece of brick Mrs. F. wanted and he hasn't sold it yet, but there are a couple conditions put on it by the guy he is selling it for.”

Steve nodded, pushing back away from his desk so he could see the open email on Claudia's screen. “Okay. What does he want?”

“Two things. One, it has to be bought by a couple and two they have to pick it up in person so he, the seller, can meet and approve them.”

“Pete and Myka can go.” Artie spoke without looking away from his computer. “They've played a couple before and can be convincing when they want to be.”

Claudia and Steve exchanged a look that started off as a question and then morphed into a matched set of evil grins. “Really?” Claudia let the word drawl out in a manner that would make a native from deep in the heart of Texas shed a tear with pride. “Because I don't see it. What about you Steve-a-rino?”

“Oh, I can see it.” Steve tried to look serious and sage. “In fact I think I _have_ seen it. How many times has Myka had to translate from Pete to English for the rest of us?”

“Speaking his language is only one thing. Lots of people who would never be together do that. We do that.” Claudia looked thoughtful as she fought the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Steve nodded gravely, his eyes twinkling in counter point to his solemn expression. “True, but we're not compatible. Not in the couple kind of way anyway.”

“Who's not compatible?” Pete asked, his mouth full of oatmeal scotchie, as he stepped into the office. “Because if you're talking about me then you've got it wrong. I'm compatible with everyone because that's just how awesome I am.”

Myka followed him into the room, an amused smile gracing her lips. "What he really means is that he's not picky and he'll take whatever he can get."

"I'm hurt." Pete mocked taking a hit before putting his hand over his heart. His grin, however, did not waiver. "My problem is that I'm just too darn nice and I can't stand to deprive any lovely lady of a chance to have a piece of this." He indicated himself with a sweeping gesture that empathized his chest and abs."

"You have an assignment." Claudia broke into the teasing with a good humored grin, limiting Myka's reply to a single amused snort. "One that Mrs. F. requested herself."

"Oooo!" Pete dropped bonelessly into the chair next to Claudia while Myka made herself comfortable leaning on the edge of the desk. "I can't wait to hear all about it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Univille International Airport

“Jooossssssshhhhuuuuaaaaaaaaa!” Joshua barely had time to brace himself for impact before he was hit full on by Hurricane Claudia. Grinning from ear to ear he let his carryon bag fall to the floor and wrapped his arms around her waist. He spun her around then set her back down on the floor, pulling away to give her a thorough once over.

“Happy to see me?” His grin widened even though it seemed physically impossible.

“Always, bro.” She hugged him again then stepped away to thread her arm through his. “How was your flight? Flights.”

“Good. I slept, did some reading and started the proposal for my next project.” Joshua picked up his bag and slung it over his other shoulder.

“No more working now that you're here. We're going to relax and enjoy ourselves for the whole time. I bet you haven't taken a day off in the last six months.”

Joshua snorted, but did not argue. Instead he let himself be tugged impatiently towards the luggage carousel. “Until Artie sends you on an assignment and I get recruited to help out while you're gone.”

“Nope, not gonna happen.” Claudia shook her head as she grabbed the new looking brown leather suitcases that she had bought him as a present during his last visit; a less than subtle hint that if he had more than a single duffel to pack he could stay longer. That and bring her more presents. Both of which were equally important in Claudia's life.

She let go of Joshua's arm long enough to strap the two cases together. He tugged the handle from her hand and started towards the glass double doors that led outside ignoring her look of indignation. He'd only taken two steps before she caught up with him, slipping her arm back through his. “Are you hungry? Artie made cookies, but Pete's been eating them so who knows how many are even left?”

“If I know Artie, and I do, he planned for that and made extra. But real food sounds great too. I would love some fries and a cheeseburger. Preferably with bacon. And maybe a malt. Oh, and a dill pickle spear to go with it.”

“You're going to give yourself a heart attack before you hit thirty.” Claudia frowned, not at all pleased at the images her comment evoked.

“I'm on vacation, remember? When I'm home I can eat healthy.” Joshua made a face and patted his flat stomach to accentuate his point.

“I can't really argue with that.” She poked Joshua lightly in the abs. “You're looking pretty good. Been working out?”

“The elevator was out for a week so I got used to taking the stairs. Once they got it working again I decided I was enjoying the exercise so I kept doing it.”

“You should definitely keep it up, it looks good on you.” She pulled her keys from the front pocket of her jeans and popped open the trunk of her Prius.

“Thanks.” Joshua shot her a smugly amused look though there was a dusting of pink across his cheeks. “Nice car.”

“She's a good girl.” Claudia patted the roof with a bit of maternal pride. “Steve let me drive his and I fell in love with it. Plus, being a hybrid it means that I am reducing my carbon footprint and as much electricity as I use my karma could use a boost.” She waited until Joshua had deposited his luggage into the back before closing the trunk. It connected with a solid click and she grinned.

He was quiet for a moment, studying her with an intensity that he normally reserved for thorny physics problems. “It fits you, smart, socially and environmentally responsible and still fun.” He laughed, his bangs flopping into his face as he leaned forward to pull her back into a hug. “My baby sister is all grown up. When did that happen?”

She made a noise of protest, but leaned into the hug, wrapping her arms around him. They stood like that for a moment before Joshua slowly pulled away, a soft smile playing across his lips. “Of course being grown up and mature is not the same thing.”

“Being mature is boring.” Claudia grinned, now back on solid emotional ground. She pressed a button on the key fob and the doors unlocked. “But I suppose I could try. For you. Now, get in the car before I leave you here.”

Inside Claudia settled herself in the driver's seat, taking a little bit longer than usual to make sure that her mirrors were where she wanted them then put the key into the ignition. “Diner first? Then the B&B?”

Joshua considered then shook his head. “Let's hit the diner first and then the warehouse. If we go to the B&B I'm going to crash and my sleep schedule is going to more messed up than it already is. I'd like to say hi to everyone and hand out presents before I go to sleep.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Claudia pulled her seat belt across herself and clicked it into place before starting the engine. “I love presents.”

Joshua followed suit then leaned back into the softness of the seat. Even though his eyes were already drifting shut he snorted. “Yeah, it's good to know that some things don't change.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

New York City, New York

The sound of Pete's knuckles rapping on the solid core door echoed down the hallway despite the dampening effect of the plush carpet runner. The brownstone was made of dusty red bricks and blended into the rest of neighborhood. The area was one that had been on the edges of gentrification so while it was clean and mostly free of graffiti and trash it lacked the trappings of true wealth. The bulk of what had once been single family residences were now broken into upscale apartments. Despite this there was not a lot of change within the people who lived there. Most of the families had moved in years earlier when rent was still cheap and had never left.

Pete raised his hand to knock a second time when the door opened. The man who answered was a couple of inches shorter than Pete and had salt and pepper hair. His dark eyes were serious and they flicked back and forth between his visitors. He frowned, then brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his button down shirt.

“I'm Pete and this is Myka.” Pete gestured to himself and then his partner. “We talked on the phone the other day.”

“Yes, of course, come in.” Mr. Peterson stepped to the side and opened the door wider to allow them to enter.

The living room was furnished with a matching chair, love seat and couch in a soft brown leather. The coffee table was made from a lush red wood that shone with an inner warmth. The walls were covered with a variety of framed prints that gave the room a splash of color and personality. A fireplace dominated one corner of the room and over the mantle hung a large portrait of two young men. Both the pose and the fact that they only had eyes for each other made it clear that they were not only lovers, but deeply in love.

“Please, have a seat.” Mr. Peterson gestured to the couch, but remained standing himself. “I'm afraid that there has been a mistake.” He seated himself in the chair and crossed his legs, fingers sliding down the knife sharp crease in his khakis. His eyes flicked from Pete to Myka and back before settling on Myka. “I've never met a woman named Myka though I have known several men by that name.”

Myka smiled, a confused look on her face. “It's an unusual name.” She paused then picking her words carefully added. “I spell it M-Y-K-A not M-I-C-A-H.”

Mr. Peterson nodded. “Perhaps if I had seen it in writing I might have known.” He sighed then switched legs. “But since I didn't I just assumed that you were both men. An error in judgment on my part, I see that now.”

“Does my gender make a difference?” She smiled, her expression softening.

“Actually it does.” Mr. Peterson leaned forward, resting his elbows on the arms of his chair. “You see, that piece of brick is a part of history and while it is relevant the mainstream public it's true value belongs to a very specific group of individuals. A group, that sadly, you are not a part of.” Pete opened his mouth to protest, but Mr. Peterson cut him off. “I'm sure you are both very nice people and would treat my little relic with respect, but my mind is made up. I will only sell it to a gay couple. Someone who understands and appreciates the sacrifices that it represents on a personal as well as a historical level.”

“We have a friend who's gay. It's for his birthday.” Pete flashed Mr. Peterson a brilliant smile as he flexed his chest muscles only to be met with an even, blank look.

“I'm sorry, but I simply must meet the next owners. There are things that they need to know that only I can tell them.”

Pete opened his mouth to argue then closed it when Myka put a hand on his arm. “We understand Mr. Peterson. Sorry to have taken up your time.” She rose gracefully to her feet and offered a hand along with an understanding smile.

He took her hand and shook it firmly, a polite expression pasted on his face. “As am I. I'm sorry you made the trip for nothing.”

As the door closed Pete saw a flash of deep sadness cross Mr. Peterson's features. It was an expression he recognized from seeing it both on Myka's features when she talked about Sam as well his own reflection in the mirror. It was the look of a survivor; the one left behind to soldier on because anything else would be disrespectful. He nodded to the closed door in unspoken understanding of life altering grief before turning on his heel to follow Myka back down the hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Warehouse 13

“These are really good.” Joshua swallowed the final bite of his oatmeal scotchie and picked up another one from the plate. He nibbled it slower than the first, but appeared to enjoy it just as much.

Artie made a dismissive gesture with one hand and pushed the plate closer to Joshua with the other. “Have another one. If you don't eat them Pete will finish off the whole batch when he and Myka get back from New York.”

“Don't mind if I do.” Steve reached around Claudia and grabbed a cookie, grinning unrepentantly at Artie's displeased look.

“Those are for _company_. You can have them any time.” Artie's voice dripped with displeasure

“Not true. You've only made them a couple of times since I started working here.” Steve took a big bite, crunching happily. “Besides,” he gestured to Claudia who had a partially eaten cookie in her hand. “Claudia's eating them too.”

“If Claudia jumped off a cliff would you do it too?” Artie's droll tone sounded more like an indulgent uncle than the words alone would have implied.

Steve considered his answer then nodded his head slowly. “Yep. I would. More than likely there would be an artifact involved and we're a team.” He held a hand up to Claudia who did an enthusiastic high five.

Claudia opened her mouth to reply when her Farnsworth buzzed. She shoved the rest of her cookie into her mouth, chewing as she flipped open the communicator to answer it.

Myka's face was front and center in the small picture. She frowned, looking unhappy, but not distressed. “We've got a problem.” Pete appeared over her left shoulder happily working his way through a hot dog. He waved, using just the tips of his fingers before taking another bite.

“Pete's had too many street dogs and is about to explode?” Steve's voice was as dry as usual, but not without humor.

Joshua laughed and leaned to the side so he was blocking Claudia's view. “Hi.” He waved then shifted out of her way, but stayed close enough to see and hear what was going on.

“Joshua!” Myka did not hide her happiness at seeing him. “You made it.” Pete chimed in adding his voice to the greeting.

Artie cleared his voice looking pointedly at Claudia then Joshua. “Now that we're finished with the helloes can we get back to business?”

Myka took that as her cue and shifted into her working tone. “Mr. Peterson refused to sell the piece of brick to us. He thought we were two men which is why he agreed initially.”

“Why?” Claudia frowned, her mind already working through alternative scenarios.

“We're not a gay couple.” She cut a glance towards Pete and sighed in way that was pointed and affectionate at the same time.

“Oh.” Claudia and Steve exchanged a look. “That makes sense actually, considering what it is.”

“Exactly.” Myka nodded in agreement. “I didn't even bother to argue with him because he was dead set on it and there was no way we were going to talk him into selling it to us. The question is what do we do now?”

“I could go.” Steve interjected. “I think I can pass as a gay man.”

Artie shot him a look then frowned. “If it needs to be a couple then approaching him by yourself is not going to work either.” He rubbed his chin, considering. “Mr. Peterson has already met Pete so he is not going to believe you are really a couple if you show up together.”

“Thank God.” Steve muttered under his breath, causing Claudia to huff out a laugh.

“The same applies to you two.” He gestured from the Farnsworth to Claudia. What about H.G.? Would she be willing to go with Claudia?”

“I'm not sure that would work.” Myka spoke slowly, considering her words. “I'm not sure he would sell it to a lesbian couple either. There was a big portrait of him and his partner over the mantle and he said that the brick is tied to his own personal history. I got the feeling that he wants to pass it on to another couple since they would relate to his story.”

Artie considered. “Pete did you get the same feeling?”

Pete nodded as he chewed the last of his hot dog. “He didn't even want to talk to us. We got the bum's rush. I even tried flexing my pecs and he didn't even look.” He made a sulky face before pulling a handful of change and crumpled bills out of his pocket, checking to see if he had enough cash to buy another dog.

Steve made a noise and began massaging his forehead. His pained look slowly turned into a frown as he considered the possibilities with trepidation.

“What about Liam?” Claudia half turned in her chair to grin at Steve. “You parted on good terms right? I'm sure the Marshals would loan him to us for a few days.”

“No, just no. There are not enough nos in the world to tell you how bad an idea that is.” Steve leaned away from her, shaking his head emphatically.

“I could do it.” Three sets of eyes turned to pin Joshua. “If it's okay with you.” Joshua turned his attention to Steve, a hesitant look on his face. “I don't have a lot of experience with romantic relationships, but I'm pretty sure I could be believable for the time it takes to convince this guy. It's not like we are going to be lifelong best friends or anything.”

“You're on vacation, remember?” Claudia's tone made it clear that her protest was token at best.

Joshua nodded. “I know, but the way I see it we can hang out here or fly to New York on the Warehouse's dime and spend a couple of days there. We could hit some of the museums and do some clubbing. Wander around Central Park and catch a show. What do you say?”

“I love this plan! It's a great plan.” She twisted around to look at Steve who was now red faced with embarrassment. “What do you think, Jinksy? Do you want to date Joshua? He's a good catch. Not only is he brilliant, but he has an amazing family and he already knows all about the Warehouse. Plus he is your type, dark hair and a good sense of humor.”

Steve swallowed, slowly dropping his hands from where he was massaging his temples so he could look Joshua up and down. “Yeah,” he finally said with a sigh. “I think I could manage that.”

“Excellent!” Claudia handed Artie her Farnsworth before spinning in her chair to face her computer. “I'll make all the arrangements.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Somewhere in the air between Univille and New York City

 

“Keep it simple and as close to real life as possible. That's the key to a good cover.” Steve looked from Joshua to Claudia and back. “That way you have less to remember.”

Joshua nodded. “Okay, so you work with my sister and we met when I came to visit.”

“Exactly.” Steve smiled encouragingly at Joshua, pleased that he was working with someone who understood what he was saying and didn't feel the need to embroider or complicate everything.

“How long have we been dating? From what Myka was saying it seems like he wants a couple that is established and not likely to break up.”

“Two years?” Steve said slowly. That's how long I've been working at the Warehouse so it will be easy to remember.

“That sounds good. We should be pretty comfortable with our relationship, but not settled. What about jobs?”

“Steve works for the ATF and you're a physics professor.” Claudia cut in before Steve could answer.

“That works.” Joshua replied, looking first at Steve to make sure it was acceptable to him as well.

“Now,” Claudia smirked looking back and forth between the two men. “We need to discuss your first date.”

The tips of Steve's ears went pink then red as he shifted in his seat. “I don't think we need to do that.”

“Actually, we probably should.” Joshua frowned. “From what Myka said Mr. Peterson sounds like a romantic. He might ask about that. It'd be good if we were prepared so we don't risk contradicting each other.”

“That's true.” Claudia's tone was more gleeful than it needed to be and she didn't make an effort to try to hide it.

Joshua gave her a look and she widened her eyes, projecting pure innocence. He snorted then turned back to Steve. “What do you usually do on a date?”

Steve shrugged. “The normal things, dinner and a movie, bowling, museums or a concert if there is someone good playing. What about you?”

“I don't really know. I haven't dated much. I've always had other things that were more important to focus on.”

“By not much he means not at all.” Claudia patted Joshua's arm in an affectionate manner. “Joshua prefers to spend his time in the lab.”

“Hiking and a picnic lunch?” Steve ventured, carefully watching Joshua's face for a reaction.

Joshua's smile widened and his eyes lit up. “I like that idea. It sounds like a good way to get to know each other without there being a lot of expectations or pressures.”

“Who asked who?” Claudia seemed genuinely curious now.

“I asked.” Steve said quietly, checking with Joshua for his approval.

Joshua nodded in agreement. “I probably wouldn't have even if I was interested.”

“First kiss.” Claudia's expression would not have been misplaced on the face of an imp and she appeared to be enjoying herself more than she had any right to be.

Steve groaned and Joshua shifted in his seat. Both were silent for the space of moment before Joshua spoke. “After lunch, lying on the blanket making pictures out of the clouds.”

Claudia opened then closed her mouth, seemingly stunned. “I...wow, bro I never would have guessed that you were such a romantic.”

Joshua shrugged. “It makes a good story, right?” Sadness flashed in his eyes for a second, but then he smiled chasing it away.

“Okay.” Claudia let the matter drop though she continued to study her brother thoughtfully. “Who kissed who?”

“I kissed Steve.”

“Joshua kissed me.”

Both statements were spoken simultaneously startling Claudia who had not expected such a definitive response. She arched an eyebrow at Joshua, waiting for an explanation.

“If Steve took a risk in asking me out so it would only be fair, if I was interested, to take an equal risk and kiss him.” Joshua ran his fingers into his hair and shoved it back out of his face then repeated. “It's only fair.”

“Huh.” Claudia eyed her brother, a curious look on her face as if she was seeing someone new. “Okay, first time you had se...”

“No!” Joshua and Steve both cut her off with matching warning looks on their faces.

She smirked at first one then the other before pulling her ipod out of her jacket pocket. She put the ear buds into her ears then leaned back. “We're talk about it later.” Without giving them time to respond she pushed the play button and closed her eyes.

Steve shot Claudia a dirty look then shifted his gaze to Joshua. “Is it going to hurt our relationship if I kill your sister?”

Joshua snorted. “No. I think at this point it would be a team building activity.”

Laughing, and feeling more comfortable than he had been since Myka's call, Steve relaxed back into the seat to clear his head and meditate. The next few days were going to require all of his reserves to maintain his sense of inner peace. He sighed and forced himself to focus on his centering exercises instead the dreamy smile Joshua had given him when they discussed their non-existent date. It didn't help at all that Claudia had been dead on when she said that Joshua was Steve's type. That was making this whole charade way too easy to buy into. At least for him. He had no idea what Joshua was thinking and for once Steve really didn't want to know the truth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

New York City, New York

Steve paid the cab driver then climbed out, holding the door open so that Joshua could follow him. When he was standing on the sidewalk Steve closed the door firmly and stepped back out of the way. He shuffled his feet and looked everywhere, but at Joshua. After a moment he took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. He opened his mouth then closed it clearly at a loss for words.

“I'm sorry.” Joshua shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at his scuffed sneakers. “I know this has been really uncomfortable and awkward for you. I volunteered because I thought it would help and make things easier, but I seem to have made them worse.”

“You didn't. Trust me, I really appreciate you distracting Claudia from the idea of getting in touch with Liam. We did settle things, but pretending to be together again would have opened some wounds I'd rather not mess with. I know Claudia means well, but she is way too eager when it comes to trying to set me up with my ex.”

Joshua chuckled softly, his tone rich and warm. “You're important to her so she wants you to be happy. That's how Claudia is. Even when she was little she was like that. It got worse when our parents died.” He paused and took a deep breath before pushing on. “I can only imagine that disappearing on her for twelve years probably made it a lot worse.”

“Yeah, I know.” Steve started to walk slowly down the sidewalk falling in and keeping pace with Joshua despite his longer stride. “It makes me crazy some times, but I get that it comes from caring.” He stepped on a leaf that was lying crosswise to a crack in the sidewalk and smiled at the satisfying crunch it made. “You're back now, that's what matters. Claudia knows how lucky she is to have that second chance. It's something that most of us don't get.”

Joshua nodded, his face thoughtful as he tilted his head to look at Steve. They walked in silence for a moment before Joshua steered them into a small, hole in the wall, coffee shop. There was a little brass bell attached to the interior handle and it chimed as Steve pulled open the door. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and baked goods wafted out into the street and the two men shared a look of pleased expectation.

They'd been on their way to breakfast when Myka and Pete had gotten a call from Artie about another artifact in the area that they needed to chase down. Surprisingly, Claudia had decided to tag along. She had given Steve and Joshua the name of a great cafe, shoved them into a cab then disappeared. As far as set ups went this one was so unsubtle it was like being hit on the head with an acme sledgehammer.

The air inside the shop was warm and heavy with the scents that had drawn them in. There were booths along the wall and a few free standing tables in the middle. It was close to half full and everyone seemed to be busy eating. Despite the lack of ambiance there was a comfortable feel of familiarity that infused the place.

“Sit where ever you want, boys.” A woman in a dark skirt and blouse with a white apron over top called out to them as they lingered in the doorway, unsure of what was expected of them.

Steve smiled letting her know that she had been heard then led Joshua to a booth in the back corner of the room. He slid into the far bench putting his back against the wall and giving himself a clear view of the whole room. Even though he was no longer with ATF some habits hung around for the duration.

Joshua eased in on the other side and scooted almost to the end of the bench to give himself room to stretch his legs out without kicking Steve in the process. “It smells good.” Joshua picked up two menus from the stack on the end of the table and handed one to Steve.

“It does.” Steve took the menu and opened it, carefully perusing the three plastic covered pages.

It was less than five minutes before the waitress appeared at their table to take their order. She left a carafe of coffee and two mugs then returned with another of hot water and a tea bag for Steve. Joshua poured his coffee, doctoring it with sugar and some cream before taking an experimental drink. He sipped it as Steve toyed with the tag on his tea, waiting for it to steep. He had just removed the bag and put it on the saucer when the food arrived.

Steve took a bite of his pancakes, running them through the extra syrup on his plate before eating them.  
“This is good.” He smiled hesitantly at Joshua who was busy with his own breakfast. “How's yours?”

“Good. I've been trying to eat healthier at home so this is a nice treat.” He gestured to the bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast that covered the entirety of his plate.

“I'm glad.” Steve took a deep breath then slowly let it out. “I'm sorry for how I've been acting. This is supposed to be your vacation and you've gotten roped into doing a snag and bag mission.”

“I don't mind.” Joshua took a bite of his bacon and chewed it, a look of pure hedonistic pleasure crossing his face. “I've known Artie for a long time. I figured this would happen at some point. Usually when I come to visit he puts me to work doing inventory or deciphering old notes.”

“You're okay with that?” Steve frowned.

“The way I see it, the warehouse is kind of a family business so I help out where I can. It keeps me from getting bored and gives me a chance to spend time with everyone, which is why I come to visit in the first place.”

Steve nodded slowly as he considered Joshua's words. “That makes sense I guess. As much anything connected to the warehouse does.” He shifted in his seat then set down his fork. “This whole thing has been really weird for me. It feels less like a job and more like an extended blind date which is really strange for a lot of reasons.”

Joshua nodded and set down his fork giving Steve his full attention.

“I'm use to dealing with strange things when it comes to work, but I don't like it in my personal life.” Steve stopped, a blush creeping up his neck to color his skin. “Not that this is personal even if it feels that way.”

“Because we're pretending to be a couple.”

“Yeah.” Steve toyed with his fork before setting it back down. “And because you're Claudia's brother so it's important to me that we get along. She means a lot to me and I don't want to do anything to make her unhappy. Or disappointed.”

A slow smile spread across Joshua's features making him look younger and more naive. “Let's start over then, without the weirdness.” He stuck out his hand, offering it to Steve to shake. “Hi, I'm Joshua Donovan, Claudia's brother. She's told me a lot about you.”

Steve took Joshua's hand, shaking it firmly before letting go. “Steve, Steve Jinks, but you can call me Jinksy. Claudia's told me a lot about you too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“How did you meet?” Mr. Peterson leaned back in his chair, his hands resting lightly in his lap. A soft smile played on his lips, giving his face an animation it had lacked before.

“My sister works with Steve and she introduced us. I don't think she had any idea that things would turn out the way they did. Fortunately she and Steve are good friends so it worked out well.”

“Your sister works for the ATF? That must be worrying.”

“I try not to think about how dangerous her job can be.” Joshua answered solemnly. “She's good at it and she has great people to watch her back. I trust them to keep her safe and I trust her to know what she is doing.” He paused and shook his head ruefully before adding, “most of the time”.

“That's really all you can do.” Mr. Peterson sipped his tea then careful set down the expensive china cup on its saucer. “Charles, my partner, was a bouncer for a bar for a few years and I used to worry about him every day. He got into a few fights, but never anything serious, thank God. I was very happy when he decided to go back to school and get his degree. Working in the library didn't pay nearly as much, but it was safer and that was well worth the trade off.”

“What about you?” Steve asked curious despite himself. “What did you do for a living?”

“I taught high school literature for thirty years. Books and a love of reading is one of the things that Charles and I shared. We used to talk about buying a little shop and running it together, but that never happened.” He stopped and brushed at his eyes. “I'm sorry, it's just that I miss him so much. Not a day goes by that I don't think about and thank God for the time we had together.”

“You're very fortunate to have found each other.” Joshua smiled and shifted closer to Steve draping his arm across the back of the loveseat.

“We were indeed.” Mr. Peterson cleared his throat, looking from Steve to Joshua then back. “Mr. Jinks, what your first impression when you met your partner?”

Steve swallowed then shifted in his seat. “I thought he had a great smile and seemed as nice as I had heard he was.”

Mr. Peterson smiled then turned his attention to Joshua. “And you Mr. Donovan? What was your first impression of Mr. Jinks?”

Joshua considered, frowning slightly. “I liked how easily he laughed and the way that he and Claudia were so comfortable together. She sometimes has trouble with people so I was really happy to see that he obviously valued her as much as she did him.” Joshua grinned and leaned forward a little, eyes twinkling. “That and I thought his jeans made his butt look really nice.”

“A strong attraction is important.” Mr. Peterson laughed and the sadness that permeated his features lightened. His resemblance to the handsome young man in the portrait that dominated the room was remarkably clear. “I'm glad you are the ones buying my little memento. I think that you'll understand and appreciate what it means to me as well as to the gay rights movement.” He looked from Steve to Joshua, making sure that he had their attention then settled back to tell his story.

“In April of 1969, I was twenty one years old. I was about to graduate with a teaching degree and I was struggling with my sexuality. Most of my friends were dating and thinking about life after school which, in those days, meant a career, wife, children and a house. I, on the other hand, had never met a woman I was attracted to and was trying, without much luck, to rationalize the crush I had on my literature professor as simple admiration.” He took a drink of coffee then continued on. “I knew my father would be gravely disappointed if he knew and since I was living at home and completely dependent on him I was terrified that I was going to end up homeless and destitute on the streets. I knew my mother would be supportive and help where she could, but she had less money and power than I did.”

“Did you ever tell them?”

Mr. Peterson nodded. “I did, but not until years later after they were divorced. I never spoke to my father again, but my mother and I became much closer as a result.” He studied his guests for moment. “What about you? Do your families and friends know?”

“My mom does. I think my sister suspected, but she was killed before I figured it out myself.” Steve pushed back the sadness that always threatened to overtake him whenever he thought about Olivia. “When I came out to my mom she hugged me and said she already knew. She'd been waiting for me to work up the courage to tell her.”

“That's lovely, I'm happy that things worked out well. Coming out can be terrifying. And you, Mr. Donovan?”

“I was fast tracked in high school and went to college early. I was much more fascinated by what I could see through a microscope or deduce from the collision of particles than anything to do with sex. By the time I was even thinking about it, my parents had been killed in a car accident and I was raising Claudia on my own so I never had a chance to discuss my sexuality with them.”

“I'm sorry. That sounds difficult.” There was a warmth and genuineness in Mr. Peterson's eyes. “You had to make a lot of sacrifices at such a young age.”

“I've made some mistakes and there are things I would change if I could go back and do it over again, but the time I spent raising Claudia is not one of them. She's an incredible person and I'm honored to have been one of the influences in her life. I have no doubt she is going to do great things.”

“The ability to love so deeply is a rare thing.” Mr. Peterson smiled, sadness etched away at the edges of it. He sighed then picked up the thread of his story. “I learned about Stonewall Inn the same way most people did, via the rumor mill. It had a reputation for being a place where anyone could go to drink and potentially meet someone with the same proclivities. It was infamous in a way that people whisper about, half intrigued and half horrified.”

“Is that where you met Charles?” Joshua seemed genuinely curious and Steve was surprised to find he was also taken in by the story.

“Yes, though it was not attraction at first sight for us. At least not for Charles. He was out and proud and I was much too far in the closet for him. We became friends though, sharing our mutual love of books and his ambition to start an organization that would protect the rights of gay men and women. He was very passionate about that.” Mr. Peterson seemed to pull himself back to present, smiling apologetically at his guests. “We were at a back table discussing Milton when the police came flooding into the bar that night. Being raided was part of the cost of doing business in those days and while we didn't enjoy it most of us had learned to keep our heads down and do as we were told so it would pass quickly. The vocal or outspoken ones ended up nursing a head ache or worse, spending time in a cell.”

“That's not right.” Steve leaned forward, his unhappiness about the injustice of the situation showed in the pinched look on his face and the way he was perched on the edge of the loveseat cushion ready to spring into action.

“No, it wasn't, but it was the reality. There was something in the air that night, the tension that had been building for a while sparked and exploded. I have no idea who or what started it, but before I realized what was happening I was swept up in the crowd as it spilled out into the street. There was already quite a group outside and I lost track of Charles for a few minutes. I was trying to get away when I saw him fighting with a cop. The officer had his baton in the air and was about to hit him and something in me broke. I picked up a piece of brick I found on the ground and threw it. Now, I played baseball quite a bit when I was younger so I had a fairly good arm. It made contact and the cop went down, bleeding from a cut on his head. Normally, I would have turned and run, but this time, somehow I found the courage to be myself. I stood my ground and yelled.” He cleared his throat, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. “I yelled 'I love you, Charles, and I don't care who knows. If anyone doesn't like it they can go fuck themselves'. Fortunately Charles had better sense in that moment than I did. He grabbed my hand and started running. We didn't stop until we were safely back at his place.”

“Did the police ever find out it was you that threw the brick?” Joshua asked, curiosity giving his eyes a bright sparkle.

“No, there were so many people and it was fairly dark even with the street lights.” Mr. Peterson paused, took a drink from his mug and made a face, obviously displeased with the taste of his now cold coffee. “Charles and I spent the night together and the next morning he realized he had picked up the piece of brick and put it in his pocket. He gave it to me as a memento. I received my teaching certificate a month later and was offered a job teaching soon after. We used my first paycheck to rent this apartment and the rest is history. That piece of brick became my touchstone. I carried it with me whenever I was facing a situation that made me want to go back into the closet. It's my reminder that I being true to myself is the only path to happiness.”

Mr. Peterson pulled a cloth handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. He sniffed once then rose from his seat with surprising agility. “Thank you for listening to an old man's ramblings. Charles and I had no children, obviously, to pass our story on to. Now, I know it won't be lost when I go.” He wiped his eyes again then consciously pulled himself together, a polite smile on his face. “If you'll excuse me I'll just go get what you came here for.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Do we have any idea what it does?” Claudia opened the bulging manila envelope that Steve and Joshua had brought back from their visit to Mr. Peterson. She was wearing purple gloves and had a open silver envelope lying on the bed next to her knee. A collection of yellowed articles, pictures, a certificate of authenticity and a piece of brick the size and shape of a family pack of gum fell out onto the flowered hotel bedspread.

“Nope. I held it without a glove and it didn't seem to affect me at all.” Steve frowned and gave Claudia a sideways look.

“No sudden desire to start a riot, bean a cop or kiss the nearest hot guy?” Claudia grinned

“No, no and no more than normal.” Steve looked from Claudia to Pete who was stretched out in a chair happily working his way through an oversized pretzel that he was alternately dipping in melted cheese and mustard.

Claudia picked up the brick and weighed it in her hand for a second before chucking it up and forward in a slow, lazy arc. “Head's up, Pete.”

“Mmrph?” Pete looked up from his snack just in time to see the artifact land right at his feet. He swallowed then bent over to pick it up. “If you wanted some of my pretzel all you had to do was ask.” His eyes glazed slightly for a second and he frowned as if he was considering something. “You should wear that shirt more often, Steve. It brings out the blue in your eyes.” He paused, frown deepening, then he shook his head. “Though, it'd look better on Myka.” He cupped his hands in front of his chest in the international sign for breasts and grinned. Ducking the pillow that flew his way he hefted the brick back to Claudia.

Steve snorted, snagging it out of the air. “Well if it makes you attracted to the same sex then Pete just broke it.”

“Maybe you have to have a latent tendency to tap into. Mr. Peterson was already gay he just wasn't out.” Joshua considered the innocuous bit of masonry. “That would explain why Pete didn't react to it. He is the most heterosexual man I've ever met.”

“What?” Pete turned his attention back to his team mates.”

“You like boobies.” Myka rolled her eyes, a smile softening the expression.

“Yeah, buddy.” Pete tossed his trash into the garbage, pumping his fist when it landed in the bin without touching the rim. “Boobies are awesome. Who doesn't want to just bury their face in them?”

There was a beat of silence before Steve, Claudia and Myka raised their hands in a show of spontaneous solidarity.

“Joshua, my man.” Pete jumped out of his chair and patted Joshua vigorously on the back. “Us boobie guys have to stick together.” He smirked at Myka who threw the second pillow from the bed she was sitting on at him.

Claudia's eyes flicked to Steve in time to see something indescribable flash across his face before he shut it down. His vaguely amused mask clicked firmly into place and he shrugged at her. Without giving herself time to consider the potential consequences she smirked then tossed the brick to Joshua.

He snatched it out of the air, reacting on pure instinct. It bounced off the tips of his fingers and he did an impromptu juggle before getting a hold on it. As soon as his fingers closed around it his eyes went to Steve and locked on. A look that was equal parts lust and longing blossomed on his face, softening his features so that he looked younger than Claudia. “I like you. Not just as a friend.” His eyes remained fixed on Steve leaving no question about who he was speaking to. After a minute he blinked as if he was waking up from a deep sleep. Smiling shyly, his eyes still on Steve he tossed it back to Claudia. “Yep, at least latent tendencies and an already established interest I suspect. It just gives you the push to declare who you are.”

Steve stared, the implications of Joshua's words sinking into him along with the realization that what he had said was the truth. There had been no backlash. In fact, now that he thought about it he'd had no backlash at all even when Joshua had said that he liked Steve's ass back in Mr. Peterson's apartment. Steve had just been in such a weird place that he hadn't even noticed. This was why he was not good with people and relationships he was oblivious when it came to noticing the important things.

“Good to know.” She typed a note on her phone before dropping the brick into the silver envelope and sealing it.

“We should go...uh...get Pete another pretzel before he starves.” Myka was already tugging at Pete's sleeve, pulling him towards the door. “Claudia? Why don't you come with us. In case I need back up. You know how he gets when the line at the cart is too long.”

“Hey!” Pete protested though he allowed himself to herded along. “It's not my fault. Standing in line makes me hungry.”

“Breathing makes you hungry.” Myka kept moving, affectionate exasperation coloring her words.

“Yeah, well, I'm a growing boy and I need to eat. We should get hot dogs too.” His eyes glazed over a bit the way they had at the mention of boobies and Myka prodded him, keeping him moving forward.

“Right behind you.” Claudia scooted off the bed and hurried across the room. At the door she turned and grinned at the two seeming statues that were her brother and best friend. “You can thank me later, I accept Visa, Mastercard, cash, jewelry and good chocol...” Her words were cut off as she was pulled from the doorway and the door shut firmly behind her.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Dead Lands of South Dakota

Joshua took a long drink from his canteen before dumping the remainder over his head. The weather was warm, unusually so, with a sky full of puffy white clouds that merged into masses then separated into distinct shapes. It was almost as if someone had created the day that he and Steve had discussed on the plane to New York. Joshua suspected Claudia and would have done a search through the inventory program if Artie hadn't assured him that all the weather related artifacts were present and accounted for as he was shooing Joshua and Steve out the door of the B&B. Still, Joshua was keeping an eye open for flash floods, clouds raining frogs and sharknados just in case.

They'd hiked almost two miles and Joshua was pleased to find that his stair training had made a difference. He'd probably still be sore tomorrow, but he wasn't winded and he'd managed to keep up with Steve who was easily the most in shape person Joshua knew. He'd kept pace though he suspected that Steve was going on easy on him, but that was okay too. After all, this hike was about getting to know each other not pushing themselves physically.

“The place I was thinking about stopping for lunch is just over the next ridge.” Steve gestured to a dip in the hill not more than a few minutes walk from where they were. “The rock formations are really cool.”

“I'm looking forward to seeing them.” Joshua pushed his sodden hair out of his face and looked up at the sky. A warm breeze was already beginning to dry it, stealing away the cooling effect. “Is that a hawk?” He pointed to a large bird that was taking advantage of an updraft to float lazily in the air above them. It circled once then moved off to the north with long slow flaps of its wings.

Steve shook his head, an awed look on his face as he watched the animal disappear. “That was a falcon. A Peregrine I think. I've heard they're native to this area, but I've never seen one before.

“Cool!” Joshua's eyes scanned the horizon before he returned his gaze to Steve. “What's the difference between them?”

“Falcons kill with their beaks. Hawks and kites use their feet.”

“I thought they all used their feet.” Joshua squirreled away this information in the filing cabinet that was his brain. “Are you into birds?”

“A bit. I hike around here a lot so I did some research on the animals in the area.” Steve paused, considering. “Liam liked to bird watch so I learned a lot while we were together.”

“I grew up in the city so most of my experience is with pigeons. Though I did go to the zoo a couple of times on school field trips.” Joshua laughed then stooped to pick up his backpack. He shouldered it then followed Steve who was making his way towards the spot he had pointed out earlier.

They hiked in comfortable silence, both occasionally scanning the skies for other local residents. Less than thirty minutes later they made their way onto a ridge that flattened out into a small plateau. It allowed for a three hundred and sixty degree view of the slope they had just climbed as well as the valley down below.

“Wow! Oh, wow!” Joshua walked the rim of the rock, staring out and down, taking in the view as Steve unloaded his backpack. He spread out a blanket then pulled out the containers of food.

“It's nothing fancy.” Steve gestured to the sandwiches, chips and apples that were now sitting in the middle of the blanket. “But it should be filling.”

Joshua plopped down sitting close enough to Steve that their legs were touching without crowding his personal space. “I'm not a fancy kind of guy. Most of the time I eat lunch out of a takeout container at my desk.” He grinned. “Besides, the view is amazing. It's so peaceful.”

“That's why I come out here.” Steve picked up a sandwich and took a bite. “Sometimes I need to get away from the craziness and find my center. Myka reads classics, Pete loves his comic books, Claudia plays her guitar and I hike. You have to have some way to balance the weirdness or you'll end up going crazy.”

“What about Artie?” Joshua bit into an apple, savoring the crunchy sweetness.

“He plays the piano and possibly does other things I don't want to know about.” Steve swiped a drop of juice from Joshua's lip then leaned in to kiss him. It wasn't their first, that had been back in the hotel in New York, and as a result their story varied from the one they had told Mr. Peterson, but Joshua was completely okay with that. As long as Steve kept kissing him.


End file.
